Melissa's "found" materials bear a beauty, like transistors and diodes with delicate lettering and varying colors. She loves the feel of neoprene and magnet wire. Latex labels stripped from club-emptied Effen Vodka bottles creating striking pieces. Each material suggests a design and presents challenges. Melissa handcrafts each piece in limited quantities.
According to Melissa, people should "rethink the way they view adornment and in the process have some tiny part in shaping the future." Melissa's work has been featured on NPR's All Things Considered, on NBC5's Style File in Chicago and in two books, Green Design and Recycle: The Essential Guide.